Local non-profits hope for booming business selling safe and sane fireworks starting Thursday , the first day fireworks can be sold in the San Gabriel Valley for neighborhood Independence Day celebrations. The safe and sane label applies to fireworks that don’t fly or explode.

Their fingers are crossed a bit tighter this season because America’s 236th birthday falls on a Wednesday, the first Fourth of July on “hump day” since 2007. Mid-week Independence Day sales in the past have dipped about 10 percent, but two industry executives believe there is a silver lining for this year.

“Because many people won’t be able to make a three-day or four-day weekend out of holiday, they’ll probably stay home, and that’s a good thing for our non-profit groups,” said TNT Fireworks Vice President Cathy Castilone. “We’ve seen that when families don’t go out of town, they often light fireworks the weekend before the fourth and on the fourth itself.”

The competition agrees.

“Sales are strong on the fourth no matter what day of the week it is, and we’re actually expecting better sales than usual on the 29th and 30th with people wanting to celebrate early on a weekend,” said Phantom Fireworks Regional Manager Linda Hass. “Sales should be brisk as well because the weather is cooperating, the economy seems to be moving in the right direction and Californians are eager to celebrate our great Independence Day with fireworks.”

Such optimism is shared by some of the cash-strapped charities, athletic groups, youth organizations and service clubs in Azusa, Baldwin Park, Duarte, El Monte, Industry, Irwindale, La Puente, Montebello, Monterey Park, Pico Rivera, Rosemead, South El Monte, Temple City and, for at least another year, Alhambra.

As Alhambra’s City Council mulls over a possible ban on consumer fireworks starting next year, due to safety and noise issues raised by some residents, the San Gabriel High School Matador Boosters Club will try to earn $30,000 in a week’s time while it still can.

“Our goal for this year is to double the $15,000 we made last year,” said Booster President Martha Villalobos, adding that she’s glad that talk of a ban is off the table for the current selling season.

“Fireworks are our largest fundraiser,” Villalobos said. “Without it, we couldn’t pay for new uniforms and equipment that we order every two years for the varsity and JV football teams, and we couldn’t support the wrestling team, girls’ soccer and the volleyball teams. It’s really rough because of budget cuts from the school district.”

Matador Boosters’ Phantom Fireworks stand will be located near Albertson’s at 2400 W. Commonwealth Ave.

In Temple City, the Knights of Columbus Council 9128 is again making St. Luke’s Catholic School the benefactor of what it earns from a Phantom stand next to Kmart at 5665 N. Rosemead Blvd.

“The money goes to the church,” said fundraiser Chairman Rudy Russ. “This year, four kids will receive $500 scholarships and another portion will help the church’s Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts programs.”

Some of last year’s earnings enabled the church to host a dinner dance in which the guests of honor were five children of the parish coping with cancer.

Supporting Temple City High School’s football program, the Ramrodders will be able to feed players before and after games, and buy new helmets and training equipment with sales from its TNT stand in the TCHS student parking lot on Temple City Boulevard.

A mile south, Temple City High School Band Boosters will run a TNT stand to raise money for new instruments, band camp and other needs. Steady customers on the northwest corner of Las Tunas Drive and Cloverly Avenue would be patriotic music to the ears of the Rams band.

Boosters of the Arroyo High School Knights Band and Color Guard will be marching to the tune of repairing instruments, paying for music and traveling to competitions with profits from its TNT stand behind the football stadium on Kings Row.

Fulvia Ciudad-Real, chairwoman of the El Monte group’s fundraiser, said a Wednesday Fourth of July has her “slightly concerned” with regard to sales.

“That’s why we’ll do other fundraisers, such as helping build two or three Rose Parade floats,” said Ciudad-Real, who has set a goal of $7,000 to $10,000 in net profits.

A mile away, American Legion Post 261 will be raising money on behalf of El Monte Boy Scout Troop 551 and veterans in need of a helping hand, according to Richard Siddall, whose goal is to raise $10,000 from its Phantom Fireworks stand in the post’s parking lot at 4541 N. Peck Road.

South El Monte’s Epiphany Catholic School already knows how it will spend the $6,000 to $8,000 it hopes to make from fireworks. Co-principal Gaby Negrete, an alumnae of the school, said new math and science books, a new floor for the playground and a couple of computers are within budget if projections pan out.

“The fireworks stand always helps us start the new year fresh,” said Negrete, a Pico Rivera resident who shares the principal title and fireworks chairmanship with Terri Silva. “In a good economy we made so much more, but I totally understand that we’re not there yet. We made $6,000 last year, so if we make that or as much as $8,000, we’d be very happy.”

Epiphany’s Phantom stand will be located in the school’s parking lot, 10915 Michael Hunt Drive.

In Baldwin Park, the Quarterback Club will be selling fireworks for a second season in support of Baldwin Park High’s football program and other causes.

“This is the largest fundraiser for us by far,” said group Treasurer Jim Dexter. “Last year brought in $5,000, and besides helping Baldwin Park High School players and cheerleaders, the fundraiser benefits at-risk youths in need of money to play sports and various churches in the area.”

The Quarterback Club’s Phantom stand is scheduled to be located next to Burger King at 14130 W. Ramona Blvd.

Every Phantom Moonstruck assortment, Firecracker Fountain and ground bloom flower sold by the Montebello Lions Club puts more turkey with all the trimmings in hungry stomachs on Thanksgiving, according to Robert De La Ree, the group’s third-vice president. Besides providing holiday baskets, the service club sells fireworks to provide clothes and school supplies to about 100 needy children at back-to-school time, and awards college-bound seniors with scholarships. The club’s Phantom stand will be at the Mart of Montebello, 802 W. Beverly Blvd.

Also getting in on the pyrotechnic fundraising action is the East Los Angeles College Classified Employees Association. The group will operate a Phantom stand in the college’s parking lot at 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez in Monterey Park.

“We’ve set a goal of $5,000 with profits earmarked for college scholarships, the Montebello YMCA, the Cancer Society, the Diabetes Walk and AYSO Soccer,” President Susan Okawa said.

Mixing patriotic fireworks with potential political fireworks, the employee group also plans to set aside money to send high school students to Sacramento to learn about state government.